Over 8,600 class of 2026 members will attend commencement ceremonies this month

“Irvine, Calif., June 3, 2026 —More than 8,600 undergraduate and graduate students and their families will participate in University of California, Irvine commencement ceremonies between Friday, June 12, and Monday, June 15, in the campus’s Bren Events Center. Overall, UC Irvine will grant nearly 11,200 degrees this academic year – 8,510 undergraduate, 1,791 master’s and 893 doctoral degrees. And in a testament to the university’s dedication to access and affordability, 41 percent of those receiving bachelor’s degrees are first-generation college students. This large percentage of traditionally underserved students is one reason why UC Irvine is consistently recognized as one of the top public research universities in the U.S. for inclusivity and student outcomes. “In the 60 years since our first commencement, UC Irvine has stood at the forefront of educating our state’s very best students regardless of their circumstances or background,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “The class of 2026 embodies that mission as it goes forth enabled, inspired and empowered to pursue a better nation and a better world.” Graduates have benefited from the high value of a UC Irvine education . Here is a list of campus accomplishments: UC Irvine has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities for 11 years in a row and among the top 13 for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report. UC Irvine placed fourth on The Princeton Review’s 2025 list of the U.S.’s best-value public colleges , based on academic quality, costs, financial aid, debt, graduation rates, and alumni career and salary data. UC Irvine was awarded dual designations in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications for research excellence and student success. Only 21 institutions nationwide earned this dual recognition, and UC Irvine is one of just three in the Association of American Universities – and the only AAU member in California – to do so. A schedule of graduation events, including cultural and special celebrations, is available on the UC Irvine commencement website. Degrees will be conferred at 12 ceremonies over four days. Overall, for the 2025-26 academic year, the breakdown is: Bachelor’s degrees: 8,510 Master’s degrees: 1,791 Ph.D.s: 556 Law degrees: 184 (conferred May 8) Pharm.D.s: 49 (conferred May 15) M.D.s: 104 (conferred May 16) Community college transfer students earning bachelor’s degrees: 2,681 Federal Pell Grant recipients earning bachelor’s degrees: 3,830 About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report . The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu . Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu . Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources .

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